Links

Total Depravity

The
5-Points of Calvinism, viz.,—Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited
Atonement, Irresistible Grace and Perseverance of the Saints,—provide perhaps
the most succinct, logical and biblical way of understanding God’s work of
salvation of sinners. These five points were never presented by John Calvin in
this way. They are derived with some re-ordering from the Canons of Dort (e.g.
Total Depravity corresponds to the 3rd Head of the Canons of Dort).
But all 5 propositions may be found to be more or less clearly taught in
Calvin’s writings.

As we examine the 5 points, two
things become clear. Firstly, these points can be individually derived from Scripture
and not from human experience. And so when we study these points of doctrine we
are simply studying a biblical doctrine with the help of a systematic
framework. Secondly, these points are logically tied to one another so that it
is really impossible to take anyone point out without or change any point without
falling into irrationality. Biblical Christianity, we must remember, is not
irrational because the Bible is inerrantly and infallibly inspired by God.
Though we may not fully comprehend God, we know that God cannot possibly be
contradictory, or there is no way for man to know Him at all. So no
contradictory propositions can possibly be derived from the Scripture when it
is properly exegeted. Thus, because of the logical consistency of the five
points, anyone who denies any of these five points will by logical necessity
deny all the other four points too. We will demonstrate this when we look at
Limited Atonement.

Now; if you have never had any
instruction on the five points of Calvinism, you may want to skip the rest of
the introduction and begin reading at the first section in the main text. The
rest of the introduction does require a little background knowledge to the
doctrine to make sense. But if you have had any instruction on Calvinism and
know something about what Total Depravity means, then read on.

Let us begin with a couple of important quotations
on the doctrine we are considering:

1.That man
has not saving grace of himself, not of the energy of his free
will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself
neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good (such as saving Faith
eminently is); but that it is needful that he be born again of God in Christ,
through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, or will,
and all his power, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and
effect what is truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John 15:5: “Without
me ye can do nothing.”

2.In [the state of man after the Fall], the Free Will of man towards
the True Good is not only wounded, maimed, infirm, bent, and weakened; but it is also imprisoned, destroyed, and lost: And its powers are not only debilitated and
useless unless they be assisted by grace, but it has no powers whatever except
such as are excited by Divine grace: For Christ has said, “Without me ye can do
nothing. St. Augustine, after having diligently meditated upon each word in
this passage speaks thus: “Christ does
not say, Without Me ye can dobut
little; neither does He say, Without
Me, ye cannot doany arduous thing,
nor Without Me ye can do it with
difficulty: But he says, Without Me
ye can donothing! Nor does He
say, Without Me ye cannotcompleteany thing; but Without Me ye
can donothing.”

Can you agree with the
statements above? Now consider the following quote:

Total depravity does not mean
that man is not able to do good towards his fellow men. It does however mean
that man’s nature is wholly sinful, corrupt, and perverse to the extent that
sin has affected his parts rendering him absolutely incapable of saving himself
from the judgement to come… Even when man performs good works, his motives for
doing so are often not pure.

Compare
this quote with the earlier two quotations, and I am sure that if you have even
a vague idea of what is Total Depravity, you will find the first two quotations
to be much more stronger expressions of the doctrine. But, the shocking news is
that the third quotation is from a professedly Calvinistic theologian, whereas
the first quotation is the 3rd Article of the Remonstrance, and the second quotation is from Jacobus Arminius (The Works of James Arminius, vol. 2,
trans. James Nichols [Baker, reprinted 1996], 192)! I suspect that the true
Arminian would even object to the third quotation as being more pelagian than
Arminius was albeit its vagaries.

Over the years, I have come to
realise that many who claim to be Calvinistic or understand the 5-points of
Calvinism have only a very vague idea of this doctrine, and as a result of it, they
either caricature the Arminians or promote a kind of Calvinism that is neither
Scriptural or Confessional.

The object of this and the
following articles, is to present the 5-points as clearly and precisely as
possible. But familiarity breeds contempt, and I am afraid that if you do not
give some care and thought as you read that you may not benefit at all from the
articles, and your idea of Calvinism may remain at best vague or at worst some
form of Arminian notion.

But before I leave the introduction to explain the
doctrine of Total Depravity. I must quickly remark that though Arminius and the
Arminians do hold to the total fall of man (unlike Pelagians), they also
believe that fallen men can co-operate with the Holy Spirit to bring about
regeneration. That is, though the will of man by itself cannot achieve any real
good, it can,—by prevenient grace (i.e. grace that is before salvation) or common grace (as purchased by the death of
Christ for all men),—respond to the call of the Gospel. Remember that when the
Arminians speak about being “born again” they do not mean as the Calvinists do:
that it is a sovereign act of God which is irreversible. Arminius makes this
clear when he teaches that “regeneration and illumination is not completed in
one moment; but that it is advanced and promoted, from time to time, by daily
increase” (Op. Cit., 195). Now,
illumination in the case of a hitherto unregenerate person is part of the
internal vocation (call) to embrace Christ as Saviour and Lord. For the
Calvinist, this call is irresistible. But for Arminius:

“Internal vocation is granted
even to those who do not comply with the call.

All unregenerate persons have
freedom of will, and a capability of resisting the Holy Spirit, of rejecting
the profferred grace of God, of despising the counsel of God against
themselves, of refusing to accept the Gospel of grace, and of not opening to
Him who knocks at the door of the heart; and these things they can actually do,
without any difference of the Elect
and of the Reprobate” (Op. Cit., 721).

The
two carefully crafted Arminian statements quoted earlier sounds very orthodox
because it neglects to mention all these additional facts. But if you think
about carefully, you should be able to see how the same statements provide room
for what we are making explicit with Arminius’ own words here (see also Canons, Head 3 & 4, Rej. 5).

1. Total
Depravity Defined

Total
Depravity refers to the fact that man’s moral nature since the fall is corrupt,
perverse and sinful throughout, so that nothing he does, think, or speak can be
in any way good or pleasing in God’s sight at all.

Note that Total Depravity does
not mean that since the fall, man has become in practice as utterly deprave as he can be, else the world would
be filled with psychopaths or Hitlers. Make no mistake, every man, being dead
in trespasses and sin (Eph 2:1) has in
principle the potential to be worst than Hitler given the right
environment. However, fallen man remains an image bearer of God with a
conscience (Rom 2:14-15), as well as an ability to rationalise as to what is
best for self-gratification and self-benefits. These restrains ensure that man
does not walk in utter depravity, though being totally depraved, he is unable
to do, say or think anything truly good.

And neither is the doctrine
concerned at all on whether a deed may appear to be benevolent and good in the
eyes of man. But Total Depravity does mean that all that the natural man does,
including what appears to be good in the sight of man, is sinful in God’s sight
(see Canons, Head 3 & 4, Art. 4).
Even his righteousness are as filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isa 64:6).The
natural man is enslaved to sin and Satan, blind to truth and rebellious towards
God. He is dead in sin, not just morally sick.

Another way of thinking about
Total Depravity is to think of it as Total Inability, i.e. that the natural man
is unable to do any that may be regarded by God as good and therefore
contributory to his own salvation. The Westminster Confession of faith (WCF9.3) views Total Depravity from this angle:

Man,
by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any
spiritual good accompanying salvation: [Rom 5:6; 8:7; Jn 15:5] so as, a natural
man, being altogether averse from that good [Rom 3:10, 12], and dead in sin
[Eph 2:1, 5. Col 2:13], is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself,
or to prepare himself thereunto [Jn 6:44, 65; Eph 2:2–5; 1 Cor 2:14; Tit. 3:13,
4–5].

Essentially,
this would also rule out the Arminian notion that the natural man can exercise
faith and so co-operate with the Holy Spirit to respond to the call of the
Gospel. The only way man can be saved is if God sovereignly, monergistically
(i.e. God working alone) frees him from his natural bondage to sin, and
translates him into the state of grace so that he is enable freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good, including evangelical repentance and faith (see WCF 9.4).

Yet another way of looking at Total Depravity is to think of it as Radical Corruption. This refers to the fact that the natural man is corrupt in his heart or the core of his being. The heart is the well-spring from which all that a person does, thinks or say, flows from. Thus Solomon tells us: “Out of [thy heart] are the issues of life” (Prov 4:22). Thus the Lord Himself says: “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things (Mt 12:35; cf. 7:18, 15:19). Now, if the heart is corrupt than nothing that the will does can be good.

We must remember that the liberty of man’s will was not affected by the fall. But the will is not free to act independently. It is
always bounded to the heart of man, and always does what the heart regards as
most desirable. Since the heart of the natural man is corrupt and hates God, it
can never desire God, and so the will can never choose God. And since the love
and glory of God is never in the heart of the natural man, he does not fail to
sin in every exercise of his will. When we think of Total Depravity as Radical
Corruption, we see immediately that the door of salvation is not shut to
anyone. Rather, the natural man hates the owner of the house and will flee from
the door unless his heart is changed.

This fact alone would destroy
the Arminian argument that ability to obey the Gospel must be universal viz.:
(1) God cannot command us to do anything beyond our ability, for otherwise he
cannot hold us responsible for failing to obey. (2) The Word of God does
command all men without exception to obey the Gospel on the pain of damnation.
(3) Therefore the ability to obey the Gospel must be universal.

Notwithstanding
the sovereign predestination of God, the inability of the reprobate to obey the
Gospel rests in their hearts. But there is more, for the Scripture proves
beyond doubt that the natural man is totally depraved.

2. Total
Depravity Proven

The
doctrine of Total Depravity is seen throughout the Scriptures. Particularly,
there are verses and passages which tell us how depravity originated in Adam
and is propagated by natural generation; and there are verse which speak about
the universality of Total Depravity; and there are verses which clearly
indicate the depth of our depravity; and then there are verses which teaches us
the consequence of our depravity.

a. The
Source & Propagation
of Total Depravity

When Adam and Eve fell into
sin, they did not fall as private individuals. Adam was God’s appointed
representative for all mankind who would descend from him by natural
generation.

When
Adam fell, his Fall affected all mankind in two principle ways,—comprehended in
the theological term Original Sin,—namely:
(1) all men are imputed (credited) with his guilt and so are regarded as guilty
before God; (2) all men inherits Adam’s fallen nature. Our catechism expresses
the doctrine elegantly:

The sinfulness of that estate
whereinto man fell, consists in (1) the guilt
of Adam’s first sin, the want of
original righteousness, and the corruption
of his whole nature,—which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all
actual transgressions which proceed from it (WSC 18).

How do we prove this doctrine
from Scripture?

Firstly,
the fact that we are imputed with Adam’s guilt is clearly taught particularly
by the apostle Paul such as when he insists:

“Wherefore, as by one man [i.e. Adam] sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for
that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12); and “For
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22)

Just a s the righteousness of Christ is
imputed on His elect whom He represents, the guilt of Adam was imputed on the
world. Now, if you think of Total Depravity from the angle of Total Inability
or Radical Corruption, it will probably occur to you that the guilt of Adam’s
sin does not directly affect our motions in life. But think for a moment of
infants dying in infancy or in the mother’s womb. Such may not have occasions
yet to engage in actual transgressions, but are they not regarded as sinners in
the sight of God too? Yes, for “all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). Even elect infants
dying in infancy must be “regenerated [to remove original inclination to sin], and saved by Christ
[by the application of His blood], through the Spirit” (WCF10.3).

Secondly,
the fact that all mankind descending from Adam by ordinary generation (i.e. not
supernaturally conceived) inherits Adam’s fallen nature is attested by Job:
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one” (Job 14:4). His friend
Eliphaz correctly concurred: “What is man, that he should be clean? and he
which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?” (Job 15:14).

David was essentially expressing the same notion
in his penitential psalm: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me” (Ps 51:5). Note that David was not so much as referring to
his mother’s sin, as if to blame his sin on his mother. He was rather referring
to the fact that he was a sinner from birth. We sin because we are sinners, we
do not become sinners because we sin. “The wicked are estranged from the womb.
They go astray as they be born, speaking lies” says David (Ps 58:3).

b.
Universality of Total Depravity

The
fact that Adam’s depravity passes down to all men ought to all men ought to be
sufficient to convince us of its universality—that it affects all except the
Lord Jesus Christ who was not born of ordinary generation. But the Scripture
leaves us without doubt by clear statements which specifically focuses on the
universality of depravity. The Psalmist reflects this thought in various
verses, such as: “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (Ps 130:3); “And enter
not into judgment with thy servant: for in
thy sight shall no man living be justified” (Ps 143:2). The point is if God
were to judge men without mercy, none will be innocent because all have sinned.
Paul confirms this doctrine in his epistle to the Romans:

“…we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…They are all gone out of the
way, they are together become unprofitable; there
is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Rom 3:9-10,12).

c. The
Depth of Total Depravity

We
have seen that Total Depravity extends to the whole world without exception. We
must prove now that the Total Depravity extends to the whole being of man. This
is most emphatically taught in the Scriptures using several imageries.

Firstly,
the apostle Paul when he declares that while we were natural men, we “were dead
in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1; c.f. Col 2:13). This is a most important
imagery, which should constantly bear in mind. An unregenerate man is
spiritually dead. He can be compared to Lazarus in the grave, but not to sick
man who can stretch out his hand to take a life saving pill.

Secondly,
the heart of the natural man is blind and his understanding is dark: “Having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph 4:18).
His “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer 17:9).
And he cannot savingly understand anything spiritual: “But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto
him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor
2:14).

Thirdly,
the natural man is described as being an enemy of God (Rom 5:10) whose “carnal
mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). He is a slave to sin (Rom 6:20) and a captive of
Satan to do his will (2 Tim 2:26; cf. 1 Jn 3:10). By this imagery, we see than
the natural man is cannot possibly do anything to please God at all. He is
radically corrupt and totally unable.

3. The Consequence of
Total Depravity

What
is the consequence of Total Depravity? Simply stated: he has “wholly lost all
ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation [and] is not able,
by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto” (WCF9.3). This fact is again very clearly taught in the Scripture: “Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good,
that are accustomed to do evil” (Jer 13:23). In fact, since the natural man
does not understand spiritual things, he does not seek after God: “There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God” (Rom 3:11)

The
corollary to this fact is that sovereign intervention by way of God is
necessary for a man to enter into the kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus himself
tells us: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw
him” (Jn 6:44a) and “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God” (Jn 3:3). We shall see more of these verses and others in our article on
Irresistible Grace. But for now, we should already realise that were it not for
God’s intervention, none of us will ever believe the Gospel. Such a thought
ought to humble us to the dust while at the same time filling our hearts with
gratitude to the Triune God who loved us with an everlasting love, provided the
propitiation for our sins and changed us sovereignly.

Conclusion

Arminians are wrong that men can co-operate with the Holy Spirit to
effect their regeneration. How can we do so when our wills are captive to our
radically depraved hearts? How can we do so when God’s Word testify that
nothing we do in our natural state can please God? Arminians may require only
one stitch to the garment of salvation, but according to them our destiny is in
that stitch, while according to the Bible, that stitch, if added, would pollute
the righteousness needed for our salvation, and would make the death of Christ
insufficient to save anyone.W